Outboard motor control



Nov. 4, 1969 OLDHAM 3,475,985

OUTBOARD MOTOR CONTROL Eilecl April 5, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ALBERT H. OLDHAM AT TO R NEYS.

& I20 I22 40 I02 I20 NOV. 4, 1969 QLDHAM 3,475,985

OUTBOARD MOTOR CONTROL Filed April 196"- v 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. ALBERT H. OLDHAM awe/m f laam ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,475,985 OUTBOARD MOTOR CONTROL Albert H. Oldham, 3031 Silver Lake Blvd., Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio 44224 Filed Apr. 5, 1967, Ser. No. 628,717 Int. Cl. Gg 1/14 US. Cl. 74-512 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for steering, throttling and/or clutching an outboard motor entirely by the feet wherein a pair of foot operated pedals are mounted to the deck of the boat. The pedals are operatively connected by cable means to the motor whereby the motor turns about a steering axis upon fore and aft movement of the pedals and the throttle and/ or clutch of the motor are controlled by tilting movement of the pedals about a horizontal axis.

This invention relates to improved foot operated controls for steering, throttling, and/or clutching outboard and like motors.

Prior art, such as U.S. Patent Nos. 2,749,872; 2,757,- 630; 2,901,918; and 2,988,930, disclose mechanism for foot steering of an outboard motor, but make no provision for throttle or clutch control, and are open to other objections. US. Patent No. 2,804,838 shows a foot control for steering and controlling the speed of an electric motor outboard, but is not capable of internal combustion engine control.

It is the general object of the invention to overcome the difiiculties of and objections to the foregoing and other prior art by the provision of an improved, easily installed, and readily operated apparatus usable in selected position in boats of various size for steering, throttling, and/or clutching an outboard motor entirely by the feet, and characterized by long, maintenance free operation even when used in the presence of salt and sand.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, partially broken away, showing the apparatus of the invention installed in a boat to effect steering, throttle, and clutch control;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the apparatus of the invention installed in a boat and controlling only the throttle and clutch;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the throttle control pedal;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 3 but showing the clutch control pedal;

FIG. 4a shows in fragmentary perspective a portion of the pedal base with two sets of mounting holes;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view on enlarged scale, taken on line 5-5 of FIG. 6 and illustrating how either or both pedals can be mounted for sliding movement;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a clutch control pedal and a throttle control pedal mounted in slides in a boat which is largely broken away;

FIG. 7 is an end elevation of the apparatus of FIG. 6 but with the pedals removed;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view of a typical mounting bracket for steering pulley incorporated in the form of the apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross section through the transom of a boat showing the mounting of other steering pulleys in the form of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 illustrates a modification of the clutch control pedal of FIG. 4 wherein the control movement of the pedal is at right angles to that of FIG. 4;

FIG. 11 is an end elevation of the pedal of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 illustrates an interlock between the clutch and throttle pedals permitting shifting of the motor only on substantially closed throttle;

FIG. 13 is like FIG. 1 but shows a modification of the invention using only a throttle control pedal; and

FIGS. 14 and 15 are diagrammatic illustrations how a pedal linkage, for example that of FIG. 4, can be used to produce either a push or a pull.

'In FIG. 1 of the drawings the numeral 10 indicates in dotted lines a boat, having portions thereof broken away, and with an outboard motor 12 mounted in standard manner on the transom 14 of the boat. The usual motor tiller '16 can be removed but preferably is left in place to provide normal hand control of the motor. The motor 12 either has a short steering lever 18 built is as original equipment, or such a lever is supplied as an extra by the motor manufacturer whereby the motor can be rotated about a substantially vertical axis 20.

Also built into the motor 12, or obtainable as an extra, is a throttle control operable by a Bowden cable 24. Built into the motor, or obtainable as an extra is a clutch control (forward, neutral, and reverse) 26 operable by a Bowden cable 28.

The pedals 30 and 32 are mounted in slides, indicated diagrammatically at 34 and 36, on the floor or bottom of the boat in a selected position therein, as in front of one side of the boat seat 38. The slide mounted pedals 30 and 32 each have brackets 40 and 41 extending laterally from the top of the pedal base and these brackets are connected to a convention, plastic covered, flexible steering cable 42. This cable extends in an endless path from steering lever 18, through a turnbuckle 44, tensioning spring 46, around pulleys 48 and 50, to bracket 40, around pulleys 52 and 54 to bracket 41, around pulleys 56 and 58 and back through tensioning spring 60 and turnbuckle 62 to lever 18.

Pulleys 48 and 58 quickly mount on the gunnels of the boat by means of brackets 64 and hooks 66, shown in FIG. 8, in alignment laterally, but often not vertically with lever 18 cable connection hole. Pulley 50 mounts with a hook 66 in a hole drilled in transom brace 68, as seen in FIG. 9, with pulley 50 in substantial alignment with the side pedal 32. Pulleys 52 and 54 mount with hooks on slides 36 and 34, respectively. Pulley 56 mounts in alignment with side of pedal 30 with a hook 66 on the bottom of a channel 70 secured by screws or bolts at its upper end to the top of the transom well above the water line. Often the transom is reinforced with a wood strip 72 which facilitates securing the channel 70 to the transom. Should there be no transom brace 68 then pulley 50 is mounted with another channel 70.

The combination just described provides very positive steering control of motor 12 by an operator sitting on seat 38 with one foot on each pedal and pushing the pedals back and forth. Simultaneously the right foot of the operator controls the motor throttle by tilting pedal 30, and the left foot controls the clutch by tilting pedal 32.

The form of the invention just described is used primarily for casting or trolling slowly along a shore. The pedals 30 and 32 are constructed, as hereinafter described, so that pedal 32 is at the most comfortable foot angle, about 45 with the horizontal, when at closed throttle, i.e., slow speed, but can be depressed to give a burst of greater speed if wind or current tends to swing the boat too near or too far from shore for best fishing position. Pedal 30 is constructed so that when at the most comfortable position for the foot, i.e., about 45, the motor is in forward gear. However, the operator can easily tilt the pedal forward to throw the motor into neutral to better fish a little cove, or can tilt the pedal still further forward to shift into reverse, to go back and retrieve a bottom snag, or the like.

In the form of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, the numeral 80 indicates a larger boat such as one used for water skiing rather than fishing, and powered with a large outboard or similar motor 82 mounted on or near the transom. The boat 80 is steered with a steering wheel 84 and has seats 86. In a boat such as described, the clutch pedal 32 and the throttle pedal 30 are mounted without slides directly on the floor of the boat beneath the steering wheel and a little forward thereof in a position to be comfortably reached by the feet of the boat operator. A Bowden cable 24a connects the throttle pedal to the throttle 22a of the motor 80, and a Bowden cable 28a connects the clutch pedal 32 with the clutch 26a of the motor. It is often desirable in this installation to have the Bowden cable 28a connect to the pedal 32 at about right angles thereto as shown in chain-dotted lines 28b so that the cable does not lie in the middle of the boat floor. The design of pedal 32, as hereinafter described, will provide this. All pedals and control cables mount fully above the floor of the boat so that they are very easily installed.

The invention as illustrated in FIG. 2 provides for the control of the large motor clutch and throttle entirely with the feet of the operator in much the same fashion as a car is controlled, and eliminates the removal of a hand from the steering wheel which has always been necessary to operate the conventional hand controls for clutch and throttle. The installation of FIG. 2 is preferably made with the clutch pedal at the most comfortable position, i.e., about 45, when in forward gear, and with the throttle pedal in the most comfortable position, about 45, with full open throttle, this being the position in which the boat is most often operated. Then to slow down the boat the throttle pedal is tilted forward with an action not unlike pressing on a brake. To get this action, which is just opposite to the action of the throttle on the fishing boat control, it is most convenient to use a clutch type pedal for the throttle as well, which will become evident as the pedals are described.

FIG. 3 shows the throttle control pedal 30 comprising a base 90 provided with an upright portion 92 bifurcated at its upper end to receive an ear or ears on the underside of the pedal 30. A pivot pin 94 connects the pedal and the base portion 92 so that the pedal is movable about the substantially central pivot from about the full line 45 position to almost a horizontal position. Inasmuch as this tilting movement is obtained by a forward and back rocking motion of the ankle of the operator, and this motion is limited, the pedals are constructed so that movement of the pedal only through about 30 effects full motor control movement of the Bowden cables. The pedal 30 is preferably made with a heel receiving cup 96 and an arch engaging rib 98 whereby slippage of the foot on the pedal is avoided and either heel or toe forces can be applied to rock the pedal.

A strap bearing 100 pivotally secures an offset arm bell crank 102 to the base 90. The shorter arm 104 of the crank 102 is centrally beneath the upper end of the pedal 30 and is pivotally connected thereto by an adjustable length link 106. The longer arm 108 of the crank 102 is in alignment with the side usually the right side of the pedal and pivotally connects to the sliding core 110 of the Bowden cable 24. The casing 112 of the Bowden cable 24 has a cylindrical boss 114 received in a hole in the upright 92 and held in place by a clamp 116 removably mounted on the upright 92. The Bowden cables described are conventional and have long been on the market for use with standard hand controls for outboard clutch and throttle.

The arrangement of the pedal parts is such that a 30 tilting movement of the pedal moves the core 110 a standard 3 inches outwardly in the fixed casing 112 to fully open the motor throttle from fully closed position. Casing 112 of course rocks slightly in an angular direction about the pivoting boss 114 upon the swinging of arm 108. The base may be provided with a stop 118 to engage the lower end of the pedal when in closed throttle position. The base 90 is also formed with holes 120 for mounting rollers if the pedal is to be slidably mounted, and is formed with holes 122 on either side of the bottom of the upright 92 to receive the boss of a clutch control Bowden cable. In other words, the pedal and its base are the same but are adapted to mount linkage for either throttle or clutch control.

FIG. 4 shows the clutch pedal 32 and its base identical to the throttle pedal already described in detail. However, an extra block or spacer 124 is provided which is fastened in certain of the same holes in the base as received the strap bearing 100. Actually, as shown in FIG. 4a, six holes 126 are provided in the base 90. One set, marked 128, mounts the strap bearing 100 for the throttle control. Another set, marked 130, mounts the block 124 when the same design base is used for the clutch control. In this manner the bell crank 102 is mounted center and right of the base and the bell crank for the clutch control is mounted center and left of the base. A strap bearing 100 pivotally secures an offset arm bell crank 132 on top of the block with the shorter arm 134 thereof centrally below the end of the pedal 32 and pivotally connected thereto by an adjustable length link 136. The longer arm 138 of crank 132 at the left or back side of the base 90 is pivotally secured to the slidable inner core 140 of the Bowden cable 28 extending to the motor clutch. The casing 142 of the cable 28 has the standard cylindrical boss 144 pivotally received in the hole 122 formed on the left side of the upright 92 near the base. The parts operate so that about a 30 forward and downward tilt of the pedal from the approximate 45 full line position shown pushes the core 142 of the Bowden cable 28 a full three inches inwardly to move the motor clutch from forward, to neutral, to reverse.

In the form of the invention shown in FIG. 2 it is advisable to use two pedals of the type shown in FIG. 4, one to control the clutch and the other to control the throttle. This provides the fully open throttle with the pedal at 45 The bell crank 132 of the throttle control pedal can be made of opposite hand so that the longer arm 140 comes to the right of base 90 as well as the Bowden cable which puts the cable more out from under the operators feet.

It will be understood that the pedals as described are constructed to be used without slides as shown in FIG. 2 or with slides as seen in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 shows how the pedals are slidably mounted. Axles are slid into the holes 120 of the base 90 and nylon or like rollers 152 are rotatably secured to the ends of the axles by snap rings. The rollers 152 roll in fiat C-shaped channels 154 of a length to normally bridge at least two ribs 156 often present in a boat, such as a conventional aluminum boat 10. A pair of channels are normally provided, one for the clutch pedal 32, and one for the throttle pedal 30. The pair of channels 154 are pivotally connected together by angle strips 158 at front and rear to hold the pedals a comfortable distance apart. Pivotally connecting the channels allows each to be mounted horizontally on a flat or a curved boat bottom. Individual wooden wedges 160 are easily cut and positioned between the channels 154 and the curved ribs 156, with both the wedges and the channels being secured in place by a single sheet metal screw extending through the channel and wedge into the ribs at a total of four points for the complete installation.

FIG. 8 shows clamp 64 for holding pulley 48 (and also a similar clamp for pulley 58) on the gunnel of the boat. The clamp can be bent more open or shut with a hammer or pliers to snugly fit On most boat gunnels. Positive afi'ixing to the gunnel can be obtained with a bored hole and a screw but is normally not necessary as the pull of the steering cable 42 is in such a direction that there is very little tendency for the clamp to shift along the gunnel.

FIG. illustrates the simple manner of modifying the clutch pedal 32 to have the thrust of the linkage in a direction at right angle to the pedal rather than forward and back of the pedal. Specifically, pedal 32 is'pivotally mounted on the standard base 90 and block or spacer 124 is used as before. However, strap bearing 100 is simply turned through a right angle, as is bell crank 132, and is secured in the same four mounting holes. Now the short arm 136 of crank 132 is connected by a ball joint link 138a to the outer end of the pedal 32. The long arm 140 of crank 132 now moves sideways in front of block 124 and is pivotally connected to the sliding core of Bowden cable 28b which extend-s into the side of the pedal as best seen in FIGS. 11 and 12. It is now necessary to secure a bracket 162 to the lower side of the block 124 which pivotally receives and holds the cylindrical boss 144 of the casing 143 of the Bowden cable 28b.

It may sometimes be advisable to provide an interlock between the throtle and clutch pedals to prevent shifting of gears except at closed throttle. FIG. 12 illustrates how this is obtained. A Bowden cable 170 extends freely between the pedals and of suflicient length to allow full sliding movement of the pedals. One end of the casing 172 of the cable 170 is fastened to a bracket 174 on the throttle pedal base, and the other end of the casing 172 is fastened to a bracket 176 on the clutch pedal base. The sliding core 178 of the cable 170 has a pin 180 and a plate 182 fastened to one end and a compression spring 184 bearing between the bracket 176 and plate 182 normally resiliently holds pin 180 in one of three holes 186 formed in an arcuate plate 188 mounted on the side of the clutch pedal 32 on the axis 190 of tilt of the pedal. The three holes are positioned to lock the pedal 32 in forward, neutral, and reverse. The other end of the core 178 is provided with a yoke 192 which surrounds a cam 194 mounted on the axis 196 of the throttle pedal 30, with cam 194 and pedal 30 tilting together. The cam 194 has a contour such that when at closed throttle the high portion of the cam engages yoke 192 to pull pin 180 out of any hole 186 compressing spring 184 and leaving clutch pedal 32 free to be operated. But when throttle pedal 30 is moved to open the throttle the low portions of cam 194 move under yoke 192 allowing spring 184 to move pin 180 into a locking hole 186.

FIG. 13 illustrates a modification of the invention wherein only a throttle pedal 30a is utilized mounted in a slide 34a. The pedal 30a connects to a steering cable 200 extending around pulleys 56a and 58a and to a turnbuckle 62a connected to the steering bracket 18a of the outboard motor 12a. A long tension spring 202 is secured to the other side of the steering bracket 18a and to a clamp 64a on the boat gunnel. A Bowden cable 24b connects the throttle pedal 30a to the throttle 22a of the motor. In this arrangement of apparatus spring 202 normally biases motor 12a fully to the left and pushing forward on pedal 30a moves the motor fully to the right. Releasing pressure on the pedal again moves the motor towards the left. Steering is thus effected. In actual practice it has been found that there is enough friction in the system, which friction is partially adjustable at the tuming friction plate present in most motors, so that the operators foot can be removed from the pedal and the pedal and motor will stay at the selected position. When the foot is again placed on the pedal only a little pressure by the heel against the pedal heel plate causes the pedal to slide back and spring 202 again turn motor to the left.

It can also be stated that with respect to the form of the invention of FIG. 1 there is enough friction in the system, usually with some adjustment of the steering friction plate in the motor, that the steering pedals move easily fore and aft but hold in any selected position even though the operators feet are removed.

Removal of the motor from the boat in any of the embodiments of the invention is easily effected. The Bowden cables are conventionally quickly detachable. Loosening the turnbuckle in the form of FIG. 1 allows the turnbuckles to be unhooked from motor lever 18 and hooked to each other whereupon the motor can be removed. In the form of the invention of FIG. 13 the turnbuckle 62a and spring 202 are simply unhooked from the motor.

The form of the invention shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 illustrates how a single pedal, such as that of FIG. 4, can be utilized to effect either a push or a pull on an associated Bowden cable. Specifically, FIG. 14 shows bell crank 1320 connected to the inner core 142s of Bowden cable 28c, with boss 144a of the outer cover of the cable anchoring in the base 900 of the pedal. The other end of the core of the Bowden cable anchors to the motor frame 120 and the boss of the outer cover of the cable connects to the clutch arm 260 of the motor. Movement of the bell crank in the direction of the arrow moves clutch arm to the right as shown by the arrow.

In FIG. 15, the end of the inner core 142d of the Bowden cable connects to the pedal base d and the boss 144d of the outer cover of the Bowden cable connects pivotally to the downwardly extending arm of the bell crank 132d. The other end of the Bowden cable 28d has the inner core connected to the motor frame 12d and the boss of the outer cover of the cable connected to, for example, the throttle lever 22d of the motor. Now movement of the bell crank in the direction of the arrow moves lever 22d to the left in the direction of the arrow.

The arrangement described in FIGS. 14 and 15 has the advantage that a single pedal and linkage structure can be substantially duplicated to control clutch and throttle.

While certain representative embodiments and details have been shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled this art that various changes and modification may be made thereon without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for steering, clutching, and throttling outboard and like motors including (a) a pair of pedals,

(b) means mounting each pedal for substantially a fore and aft movement,

(c) cable means adapted to connect the pedals to an outboard motor and turn it about a steering axis upon fore and aft movement of the pedals,

(d) means mounting each pedal for tilting movement about a substantially horizontal axis,

(e) a pair of Bowden cables, one to be connected to the outboard motor throttle, and one to be connected to the outboard motor clutch,

(f) means connecting the other end of the clutch control Bowden cable to one pedal for operation of the cable upon tilting movement of the pedal, and

(g) means connecting the other end of the throttle control Bowden cable to the other pedal for operation of the cable upon tilting movement of the pedal.

'2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein one connecting means operates to push the Bowden cable in, and the other connecting means operates to pull the Bowden cable out, upon tilting of the pedals.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the cable means to turn the outboard motor about a steering axis form a closed, i.e., endless path.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the clutch control pedal is in forward gear when at about 45, and is tilted forward to reach first neutral and then reverse with a total movement of about 30, and the throttle control pedal is at about 45 when at closed 7 throttle, and is tilted forward through about 30 to effect fully open throttle.

5. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein each pedal is slidably mounted in a channel to provide for the fore and aft movement, and means pivotally holding the channels in spaced parallel relation whereby each channel can be mounted laterally horizontal although at a different elevation on a curved boat bottom.

6. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein interlock means are provided between the pedals so that the clutch pedal can be operated only when the throttle pedal is at substantially closed throttle position.

7. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein each pedal is slidably mounted in channel means to provide for the fore and aft movement.

8. A foot pedal unit for controlling the clutch or throttle of an outboard or like motor including a base, a pedal, means extending upwardly from the base, pivot means connecting the last-named means to the pedal on a substantially horizontal axis near the center of the pedal, 20

connector means mounted to the base for selectively receiving and anchoring in relation to the base either the inside core element or outside case element of a Bowden control cable, linkage means mounted entirely above References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,872 6/1956 Amick 74512 XR 2,757,630 8/1956 Ottinger 74-5l2 XR 2,878,768 3/1959 Warblow 1l4 153 2,985,031 5/1961 Bennett 74---501 XR 3,002,398 10/1961 Beamer 74-512 3,085,447 4/1963 Shay 7450l XR 3,241,394 3/1966 Rubenstein 745l2 FRED C. MA'I'IERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 114153 

